Coin-controlled grip-tester or similar device



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

P. BEETZ.

GOIN CONTROLLED GRIP TESTER 0R SIMILAR" DEVICE. v N0. 411,569. Patented Sept. 24, 1889.

INVENTOR:

Atforney,

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

P. BEETZ.

00m CONTROLLED GRIP TESTER OR SIMILAR DEVICE.

Patented $ept. 24, 1889.

INVENTOR:

WITNESSES I Attorney.

n. can: Fhctwl-imogmphor. Waxhlngicn. n. c,

UNITED STATES PATENT FFICEQ PETER BEETZ, OF BROOKLYN, NEYV YORK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 411,569, dated September 24, 1889.

Application filed December 11, 1888. aerial No- 293,246. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PETER BEETZ, a citizen of Germany, and a resident of Brooklyn, Kings county, New York, have invented certain Improvements in Grip Testers or Similar Coin-Controlled Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of devices for rendering service, such as grip-testers, weighing'machines, vending-machines, &c., wherein a coin of the proper kind inserted in a coin-slit in the casingof the machine serves to unlock the internal mechanism, so that the machine or device can operate, and particularly to that class of such machines wherein the coin inserted becomes for the time substantially a part of the mechanism.

The object of myinvention is in part to im prove the locking device, in part to improve the coin chute and the devices wherebythe same may be conveniently freed from obstructions, and in part to improve the device whereby the index is held at the point on the dial to which it is brought by the power of the grip exerted by the hand, as will be hereinafter explained.

My invention will be fully described hereinafter, and its novel features carefully defined in the claims.

In the drawings which serve to illustrate my invention, Figure 1 is a rear view of a grip-tester embodying my improvements, the back of the casing being almost wholly removed, so as to better expose the interior mechanism. Fig. 2 is a face view of the dial only, the handles or grips and the base not being represented in this figure. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical section of the apparatus in the plane of the central arbor, the scalp being double that of Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 3 is a detached sectional rear elevation of the brake device on the same scale as Fig. 3. The plane of the section is indicated by line 3 3 in Fig. 3. Fig. i is a fragmentary plan view, and Fig. 5 is a fragmentary rear elevation, of the operative mechanism on the same scale as Figs. 1 and 2. These views illustrate the moving parts in ditferentpositions from those seen in Fig. 1.

a represents a drum-like casing of a common form, provided with a suitable base Z). The

casing contains the operative mechanism and will have a door at the back to afford access to the interior. A part of this door is shown. at a in Fig. 1. On its face the casing has a dial 0. (Seen in Fig. 2.) All of these features are old in such devices, and I do not claim them herein.

At the center of the dial is rotatively mounted an arbor e on which is fixed a pinion d inside of the casing. With this pinion gears a rack 6, carried by a longitudinallysliding operating-bar f, which has a guidebearing at w in the wall of the casing a. At its inner end this bar carries a cross head or barf, the ends of which slide on two parallel bars g g, fixed in the inner frame a of the casing. On these bars are the springs h 72. The operating-bar f has on its outer end a cross-handle '2', which, with the bail-like handle i, secured rigidly to the casing and its frame, provide a well-known form of grip. The operation of this grip is too well known in grip-testers to require a more minute description.

I prefer to provide the device with another grip on the opposite side of the casing, comprising a cross-handle j, fixed rigidly to the casing, and a bail-like handle j, the branches of which are secured to the cross-piece f, and play in apertures in the casing.

, The operating-bar f is locked against endwise movement by means of-a latch is, which is hinged at y to the frame a of the casing and stands directly over the bar f. A stud l on the latch it engages a notch Z in the upper edge of the rack c, and as the rack is pinned to the bar f the engagement of the stud Z with the notch in the rack prevents endwise movement of the bar, except as will be hereinafter explained. Another stud m on the latch it engages an angular slot n" in a swinging coin-detainer or cam-like plate a, pivoted to the casing above the latch. This detainer n depends into a slot 0, Figs. 3 and .L, in the operating-bar f.

I will now describe the coin-chute and its appurtenances. In the top of the casing is the coin-slit p of the proper dimensions to admit a coin of the right size. This slit communicates with the coin-chute, which is composed of three parts-namely, the vertical receiving branch q, the lateral and nearly hori zontal branch q, and the vertical delivering branch (1. The coin inserted at the slip 1) passes down the branch q, then laterally through the branch q to the branch q, and thence down this latter branch into the slit 0 in the bar f, where it lodges between the end wall of said slot and the edge of the detainer u. If the coin is of the proper diameter, it may be inserted in the coin-slit and it will lodge as described. A coin of greater diameter or thickness cannot be inserted in the coin-slit, and one of less diameter than that for which the apparatus is designed will not lodge, but will fall through the slot into the casing of the machine, and thus produce no effect.

In Figs. 1 and 5 a coin of the proper size is represented, in dotted lines, as lodged in the slot 0 between the end of said slot and the detainer n.

It will be seen by reference to Figs. 4. and 5 that the rack e is notv fixed rigidly to the bar f, but is mounted on the side of the bar by means of two screws or pins e e which pass through slots in the rack. These slots allow the rack to play a little endwise on the rack f. Thus, when the bar f is moved endwise by the person testing his grip it may move a little way without disturbing the rack e, which will be held stationary by the engagement of the stud Z 011 the latch with the notch Z in the upper edge of the plate or bar on which the teeth. of the rack are formed. The independent movement of the bar will be about one-fourth of an inch in the apparatus. The free end 717 of the latch is beveled and stands before or in the path of a beveled shoulder f on the bar f. \Vhen there is no coin lodged in the slot 0, the barf can be moved endwise only as far as the slots in the rack 6 will permit of its movement independently of said rack; but if there is a coin lodged, as represented by dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 5, and the grip is actuated the endwise movement of the bar is communicated through the coin to the detainer n, which is thus swung or moved over (toward the left in Figs. 1 and 5) and the margin of the lower branch of the angular slot 02* in the detainer acts through the stud m on the latch to lift the latter high enough for the pin Z on thelatch to free itself from the notch Z in the rack 6. This unlocks and frees the bar f, but the coin is still held in the slot 0, embraced between the end wall of same and the detainer n. At this moment, however, the bevel on the end of the latch 70 engages the beveled shoulder f on bar f, and said shoulder throws the latch upward. The stud m on the latch new acts on the margin of the upper branch of the angular slot W in the detainer n, and moves the latter over quickly, away from the coin, which drops into the lower part of the casing or into a receptacle arranged therein to receive it.

The weight of the latch 7c may be relied on broken away into slot 0 to show the position of the lodged coin.

In this class of machines serious trouble is met with from the insertion of paper, sticks, &c., at the coin-slit, and when the coin-chute leads directly to the mechanism of the apparatus from the coin-slit it is not possible to remove the obstructions from the apparatus by pushing them through with a blade inserted at the coin-slit. My objectin making the coin-chute, as described, with two bends or angles and a middle horizontal branch q is, that I may provide the receiving branch q, and said branch q also, with a pivoted swinging bottom 8, held in place by a suitable counterweight 8. These parts q and q of the coin-chute open at their bottoms directly into the cavity of the casing a, and while the pivoted bottom 5 will not yield to a weight many times that of the inserted coin, which falls upon it, and while it serves as a permanent bottom to the chute so far as the regular operation of the machine is concerned, yet should the branch chute g become obstructed the said bottom. 3 will readily yield to the pressure of a blade inserted at the coin-slit, and the obstruction may be pushed down into the hollow of the casing to, and in such a manner as not to interfere in any way with the mechanism of the machine. The lateral branch q of the chute is made to extend nearly or quite horizontally from the branch q, in order that, while a circular coin may and will readily roll through it from the branch q to the branch q, paper and other obstructions inserted at the coin-slit will surely lodge on the pivoted bottom 8, and be thus prevented from reaching the delivery branch g".

In my Letters Patent No. 394,812, dated December 18, 1888, I have shown and described means whereby the main pointer as it moves around the dial carries with it an auxiliary pointer, which latter remains at the point to which it has been moved, and does riot return to the zero point with the main pointer when the grip is released. It is, however, released, and its spring permitted to return it to zero when the grip is again operated. My present invention embraces a new and improved device for eifecting this object. On the outer end of the arbor e is secured the main pointer 15, which, when the machine is at rest, stands at zero on the dial. On the arbor e is mounted a sleeve-like shaft b, (see Figs. 3 and 3 on the outer end of which is secured an auxiliary pointer 25. The pointer 13 has a pin or stud c, which takes behind the pointer 75, and thus compels the latter to move ahead with the former around.

the dial. The main pointer 25 may, however, return to zero "without the pointer t, and means are provided for holding the pointer t at the point which it has reached until the next operation of the grip.

A device similar to that above described is set forth in my pending application, to which I have before referred.

In order to hold the pointer 25 at the point where it is left by the pointer z, I provide a friction-brake. (Best seen in Fig. 3.) On the tubular shaft 1), just inside of the casing a, is fixed a disk or Wheel cl, on the periphcry of which bears a brake-lever e, pivoted to the casing and held against the disk by a spring g. When the shaft b is rotated by the action of the main pointer t on the auxiliary pointer 25, a volute spring h is Wound up or put under tension. One endof this spring is secured to the casing and the other end to the shaft Z). \Vhen the pointer i returns to zero, the pointer 15' is held at the point reached by the frictional pressure of the brakelever e on the disk cl. In order to relieve the brake and allow the spring 71/ to return the pointer 23' to zero, I provide the operating-bar f with a laterally-projecting stud n, which, when the machine is at rest, stands in a fork in the lower free end of a pendent lifter 'v, pivoted to the brake -lever 6'. This lifter stands inclined and rests against a stud or pin 11* in the casing, as seen in Fig. 3.

' The operation is as'follows: \Vhen the grip is operated, the stud u on the barf moves (to the left in Fig. 3) horizontally under the downwardly-inclined end 1; of the lifter o, and thus, by imparting a slight endwise movement to the lifter, slightly raises the brakelever e and releases the disk (1'. The dotted lines in Fig. 3 show how the brake-lever is lifted. lifter and allows the spring g to again set the brake. \V hen the grip is released, the springs h h return the bar f to its normal position, the stud u thereon wiping under the pendent lifter t and swinging it back until the stud u .again assumes its place in the fork of the lifter in front of branch 7) of the fork on said lifter.

The stud 11, moves on clear of the,

This action of the stud on the lifter does not affect the brake-lever e. I have represented the bar f as made up of parts so as to form the shoulder f and slot 0 more conveniently; but this bar may as well be in one piece.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. The combination, with the operating-bar f, provided with a slot 0 and beveled shoulder f of the longitudinally-sliding rack e, mounted on said bar and provided with a notch Z in the upper edge of its plate, the pivoted latch k, arranged over the bar f and provided with a beveled end 7;, and a stud Z,

which engages the notch in the rack, and the suspended detainer it, provided with an angular slot n Which is engaged by a stud m on said latch, all arranged and adapted to operate as set forth.

2. The combination, with the casing and dial, of the operating-barf, the rack e, mounted thereon, the arbor c", the pinion d thereon gearing with said rack e, the pointer t on said arbor provided with a pin or stud c, the tubular shaft 1) on said arbor, the brake-wheel d and pointer 26, fixed on said tubular shaft, the volute spring it about said shaft, the brakelever e and its spring, and the pendent forked lifter o, the fork in which is engaged by a stud it on the operating-bar f, all arranged and adapted to operate substantially as set forth.

3. The combinatiomwith the casing a, provided with a coin-slit p, and the operatingbar f, provided with a slot 0 to receive the coin inserted at said slit, of the coin-chute consisting of the vertical or upright receiving branch q, communicating with the coin-slit, the upright delivery branch q", arranged to stand normally over slot 0 in the bar f, the substantially horizontal branch q, and the counterweighted hinged bottom 3 of the branches q and q of the chute, all arranged and adapted to operate as set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

PETER BEETZ.

Witnesses:

HENRY OoNNErr, J. D. CAPLINGER. 

